


Frozen Moments

by hyunbiased



Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 11:50:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6422761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyunbiased/pseuds/hyunbiased
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reposted from ff.net in 2012</p>
<p>Jean-Paul and Bobby grow closer through a series of moments</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Bobby Drake walked into the kitchen to investigate the truly fantastic smell permeating the mansion and saw Northstar and Wolverine cooking. He gaped and rubbed his eyes at the never-before-seen sight.

"Close your mouth, Otterpop," Jean Paul ordered in good humor. Logan snorted and smirked at the nickname.

"Why are you two cooking?" Bobby asked.

"Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. As it is my first time being out of the country for that holiday, Logan offered to celebrate with me," Jean Paul explained.

"Oh," Bobby blinked. He always forgot that Logan was Canadian. "But you've never celebrated it before," he realized as he looked at Logan.

"Well I never had anyone else to celebrate it with. Besides, Johnny was giving me a headache with how mopey he smelled," Logan explained.

To Bobby's tremendous surprise, Jean Paul flicked some flour into Logan's face. To Bobby's even greater surprise, Logan just chuckled and continued stirring a pot.

"I didn't even know you two could cook," Bobby mused. The normally uptight businessman and feral killer did not strike him, or anyone really, as people who would know their way around a stove.

"Hiring a personal chef that suits my tastes is a nuisance and an unnecessary expense. Besides, I wasn't always a CEO," Jean Paul explained. Logan just grunted.

"Would you like to join us Otterpop? We shall have plenty of food," Jean Paul invited.

"Uh, sure. Do you need help with anything?" Bobby offered as he edged into the room.

Jean Paul gave him a calculating look. "Do you know how to make mashed potatoes?" he asked after a moment.

"Sure."

"Potatoes are in the pot by the sink, then," Jean Paul informed him and then turned back to rolling out a pie crust.

Shortly after Bobby finished peeling the potatoes Jean Paul decided that they needed music while they cooked. He turned on the radio to a classical station. Logan snorted and promptly changed the station to one playing country music. Jean Paul gave him an incredulous look while Bobby fiddled around and found a channel playing Sinatra. This seemed to be acceptable to everyone and they returned to cooking.

Bobby ended up standing directly next to Jean Paul at the stove. Bobby was making cranberry sauce and Jean Paul was snapping the ends off of some green beans before he cooked them. Logan had gone off to find something suitable to drink in town a few minutes before.

"Why don't you snap the ends off with super-speed?" Bobby asked, genuinely curious.

"Because I never cook with my speed. I figure that I can't speed up how long it takes for something to cook so why speed up the preparation time?" He flourished a bean to emphasize his point, causing Bobby to chuckle. Jean Paul got more serious, "Also, it is a nice escape sometimes. It makes me feel…normal."

"But you're always going on about mutant pride and gay pride-heck you even called your book Born Normal! I thought…I dunno, that you were all about how we were already normal."

"Oui, I do think that. But sometimes it is nice to pretend that nothing sets me apart. Just to think that no one out there would want to hurt me for what I am. It is difficult to live one's life constantly under attack."

"But so many people look up to you too! For everyone that would want to hurt you there is another person who wants to be you! You're successful despite all the things working against you and I think that you're a lot more normal than almost anyone here at the mansion."

The two were facing each other by now and Jean Paul looked surprised but pleased at Bobby's outburst.

They evaluated each other for a moment and Jean Paul opened his mouth to say something but stopped when Logan walked back into the room with a case of beer and a bottle of wine. Both turned back to their tasks and completely missed the look Logan gave them.

The three sat around the counter with all the food spread out in front of them. Jean Paul said a quick prayer in French.

"Who's carving?" Bobby joked. Jean Paul laughed as Logan gave them a look. He extended his claws menacingly but then retracted two of them and expertly sliced the turkey. He delicately speared a piece and placed it on Jean Paul's plate, repeated with Bobby's plate, and sliced off a drumstick for himself.

Bobby was surprised to find that the food was just as good if not better than his Mom's (although he would never tell her that). He wondered if it would be possible to get Jean Paul to cook more often. He had known Logan long enough to know not to ask if he valued his limbs, but maybe if he gave some leftovers to Jubilee she could do the convincing.

The conversation at the table was mainly between Jean Paul and Bobby. They cracked jokes and told stories like old friends. Bobby was surprised to find how much the other man could relax from his business-like normal behavior. He liked hanging around with Jean Paul.

As they finished with Jean Paul's amazing pie, Bobby realized that now was the first time in a while, too long, that the growing patch of ice on his chest hadn't been a constant concern weighing him down. He had really let loose and had fun without worrying about anyone finding out. Maybe it was because he didn't know Jean Paul as well as the other X-men so he didn't feel the need to put on an act of normalcy. With Logan, acts didn't work anyway so Bobby tended to not even try around him.

As Logan packed up the leftovers, Jean Paul and Bobby took care of the dishes. Bobby washed the dishes while Jean Paul dried them. Bobby suspected that Jean Paul was playfully using his speed powers because every time he washed a dish, no matter how fast, the other man had an outstretched hand and a smirk waiting for him. When Bobby accused him of this, he denied everything.

Logan abruptly walked towards the door, his only explanation being "Happy Thanksgiving, but you guys are giving me a headache."


	2. Chapter 2

Two days before Christmas Bobby unexpectedly found himself completely finished with shopping and wrapping gifts for everyone. He would be heading back to his parent's house tomorrow afternoon but right now he had nothing to do. Most of the mansion's residents where either at their own homes or on the massive mall trip for last-minute gift buying, so Bobby was surprised to see Jean Paul sitting by the rec room window when he walked in.

The man was curled up in an undignified position on the window seat. None of the usual stiffness or haughtiness was present as he stroked a picture lightly. Bobby noticed with a start that there were tear tracks on Jean Paul's face.

The man looked up as Bobby came in. "Oh, désolé. I thought that everyone had gone on the trip. I'll go-"

"No!" Bobby blurted out, just as surprised by the outburst as Jean Paul was. "I mean, do you need someone to talk to?"

Jean Paul gave him an assessing look and Bobby tried to look open and accessible. The older man gave a short nod and gestured to the sofa. The two settled down, Bobby surprising both of them again by sitting right next to the other man.

"Why were you crying?" Bobby asked softly.

Jean Paul showed Bobby the picture. It was a well-worn image of a tiny baby in an incubator. Bobby looked up at Jean Paul to show that he didn't understand.

"Mon dieu, Robert. Should I assign you my book to read? You seem to be remarkably lacking in all the gossip I have accumulated over the years," Jean Paul teased. His voice softened as he explained "This is my daughter, Joanne. She died before she could ever see her first Christmas."

Bobby pushed away the surprise and resolved to read the book soon. He placed a hand on Jean Paul's shoulder consolingly. "I'm very sorry."

"It's not your fault. It's no one's fault…she had AIDS. I normally go and visit her on Christmas Eve, but I am here instead," Jean Paul sighed.

Bobby suppressed the urge to take Jean Paul in the Blackbird up to Canada right away to visit the grave. He had to be at his parent's house tomorrow and Scott would give him a long lecture about the proper uses of team equipment. Instead he used the hand still on Jean Paul's shoulder to turn the other man to face him and wrapped his arms around him.

Jean Paul stiffened in surprise, but after a few seconds relaxed and returned the hug. Too late Bobby realized that his chest, and thus the patch of ice, was pressing up against Jean Paul. He pulled slightly after a minute and looked at Jean Paul.

Jean Paul directed a questioning gaze at Bobby's chest but did not further address the issue much to Bobby's relief. He met Bobby's gaze and a small smile crept onto his face.

"Would you like some of my famous hot chocolate? Guaranteed to make any situation better," Bobby offered.

Jean Paul's smile grew slightly more and he nodded. Bobby fully removed himself from the embrace to go to the kitchen, but on second thought grabbed Jean Paul's hand and pulled him behind. Bobby didn't know why he was doing this; after all he barely knew the other mutant, but when he saw the tears in Jean Paul's eyes he just wanted to wipe them away and make the other man happy.

He let go of Jean Paul's hand once they were in the kitchen and was surprised to find that he missed the warm sensation. He nudged Jean Paul to one of the stools as he put the kettle on and started pulling out ingredients for his hot chocolate.

Bobby's mother had never made her hot chocolate from mixes and Bobby followed her example. He poured the assembled ingredients into the bottoms of two mugs before pulling out his improvement on his mother's recipe. A spoonful of red chile powder went into each mug. His time in Colorado with the Defenders, although short, had given him an appreciation for spicy foods. He had a friend ship him the famous New Mexican chile twice a year and he guarded his supply carefully. The only other person who was allowed to use it was Gambit, and that was under the provision that he share whatever he made with Bobby.

The tea kettle whistled and Bobby poured the water into the two mugs. He carefully stirred each up and added a dash of cinnamon. He turned and set a mug down in front of Jean Paul while he settled himself on the nearest stool.

Jean Paul blew on the surface gently then took a small sip. His eyebrows rose in surprise at the heat from the chile, but he eagerly took another drink. Bobby sipped his own while smiling at the enjoyment Jean Paul was deriving from his drink.

"This is the best hot chocolate I have ever had," Jean Paul declared as he finished the mug. Bobby hummed in agreement as he took another sip.

The two met eyes and Bobby set his mug down with a quiet thunk. They gazed into each other's eyes and remained silent. Bobby leaned forward a little bit unconsciously and Jean Paul did the same a moment later.

At that moment, a tremendous commotion began near the entrance hall.

"I guess the mall trip is back," Bobby exhaled.

"Oui," Jean Paul answered.

Bobby glanced down at his mug, breaking eye contact. He picked it up and held out a hand for Jean Paul's. The Canadian smiled gratefully as he slid it over.

"Thank you, Robert" Jean Paul murmured as Bobby washed the mugs.

"No problem. My mother raised me to help someone when they were feeling down."

Anything further that would have been said was lost due to the large group of people that crowded into the kitchen, all chattering about their shopping experience. Bobby got caught up in a discussion with Jubilee and missed when Jean Paul slipped out.


	3. Chapter 3

Bobby returned from his parent's house emotionally drained. His father had invited his brother for Christmas. Jack Drake was apparently very anti-mutant and unaware of Bobby being one so the entirety of Christmas Day was spent listening to him insult the "unnatural perversions" that were "polluting the population." Bobby had to smile and pretend to agree with everything he said while his parents did nothing to put a stop to the stream of insults.

To top it all off, he had to be very careful and avoid hugging his very affectionate mother. He had made a slip-up when he had hugged Jean Paul in the rec room but was lucky that Jean Paul hadn't addressed the issue. His mother would question why there was a cold spot taking up most of his chest and that would bring a halt to any festive feelings remaining in the house.

As Bobby dragged his bag down the hallway to his room, a student came running around a corner and crashed right into his chest. The student, a teenage boy Bobby didn't know the name of, landed on the floor.

"What was that!" Bobby snapped. "Watch where you're going next time or you'll crash into something that will crush you! I'm tempted to do that right now, so you'll learn!"

The student cowered on the ground under Bobby who suddenly snapped out of his mood.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me," Bobby apologized, placing a hand on his forehead. He held out a hand for the boy who hesitantly took it. Bobby hauled him to his feet and apologized again. The kid hurried away looking fearfully over his shoulder back at Bobby.

Bobby sighed and continued to his room. He dropped his bag on the floor and then stood in the middle of the room for a moment.

Why had he done that? He had crashed into others countless times over the years and been crashed into in turn. He had never reacted that way before. Then he realized why he had freaked out over someone crashing into his chest.

Bobby looked across the room at the mirror and hiked his shirt up. He examined the ice patch. He breathed a sigh of relief when he couldn't see any size difference from this morning. Bobby knew that he would keep looking at it, trying to see it grow bigger, if he stayed in here. But Bobby wanted to be alone and think, so he needed a place no one else would go.

Bobby opened his window and slid down an ice slide. He dissolved it behind him and walked the rest of the way over to the lake. With nearly a foot of snow on the ground no one else would be hanging out by the lakeside. He was only wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt and jeans but he didn't feel uncomfortable.

When he reached the lake he was surprised to see another figure sitting on the snowy ground.

As he walked closer Jean Paul looked up to him in surprise and then smiled. "How was your Christmas?" he asked.

Bobby flopped down beside him, deciding that Jean Paul was pleasant to talk to and might help him get his mind off of his chest.

"Horrible. My bigot of an uncle was there and he kept going on about how terrible mutants were."

"With you right there?" Jean Paul asked, shocked.

"He doesn't know about me, only a few of my cousins do. I'm the dark secret nobody in my family talks about," Bobby tried to make this sound like a joke but it came out bitterly.

Jean Paul placed a hand on his arm. "Family can be challenging. My sister does not accept my orientation, yet I still love her all the same."

"That's horrible! But you're completely right about the love thing. The worst part was that I had to keep dodging my mom's hugs or else she would find out about-" he cut off with a choke. He hadn't meant to say that.

Jean Paul looked at him sharply and then said carefully "Would this have something to do with the cold patch there?" he indicated Bobby's chest.

Bobby's eyes were wide with panic but he took a few deep breaths and nodded. He then figured what else did he have to lose because Jean Paul had already figured out most of it and quickly pulled his shirt off. Jean Paul gasped as he saw the patch.

"Qu'est-ce que c'est?" he murmured, eyes riveted to Bobby's chest.

"If that was 'what is it' then I don't really know. I got stabbed by Black Tom awhile ago and couldn't change completely back. It's been spreading."

Jean Paul reached out a hand and then looked questioningly at Bobby. Bobby shrugged and then nodded. Jean Paul extended his hand until his fingers lightly danced over the ice. Bobby and Jean Paul were equally transfixed by the hand's movements. Bobby could feel the fingers but it was not quite the same as if Jean Paul were touching his skin.

Jean Paul pulled his hand back and met Bobby's eyes. "Is this why you have been sulking about the mansion as if the world is out to get you?"

Bobby laughed hollowly. "I just threatened a student because he ran into me in the hallway. I don't know what's happening to me and it scares me. I could be turning completely to ice or I could be dying and I don't know."

Jean Paul wrapped an arm around Bobby's shoulders and Bobby curled into him. Tears flowed down his cheeks while Jean Paul rubbed his back gently. Eventually, after the tears had stopped for a few minutes, Jean Paul gently asked "Have you told anyone else about this?"

"Annie's the only other one who knows and she can't do anything about it. I just have to watch it grow and wait for there to be no humanity left."

"Even if you were completely ice you would still be human," Jean Paul said earnestly. "But I think that you should go see Beast. Annie is merely a nurse; Beast is an expert at mutant physiology. I wonder: why you haven't been to see him before?"

Bobby thought about it before answering. "I know that I should see him, he would be the one to be able to help me, but I feel like if I go to him and he can't do anything then I will have no hope at all."

"But it is weighing on you constantly, the worry. Wouldn't knowing something be a relief?"

Bobby looked up and met Jean Paul's eyes. "But what if he says I am dying?"

The despair and hopelessness in Bobby's eyes sparked something in Jean Paul. "Then you make the most of the time that you have left," and lowered his head. Impulsively, he kissed Bobby.

Bobby stayed still for a moment, and then melted into the kiss. It was less about passion, although there were stirrings in both parties, and more about reassurance and comfort. Once they pulled their lips apart, their faces still close; both took a moment to think before talking.

Jean Paul started first "I have wanted to do that for a very long time."

"I hadn't ever thought about it, but I guess we did have that moment in the rec room, and the one in the kitchen, and gee I guess I really am dense," Bobby chuckled.

"But alright?" Jean Paul asked worriedly.

Bobby gave him a short peck. "Alright. And don't worry about any freak-outs. I've been attracted to men before and dealt with that then."

Jean Paul sighed in relief. "Are we…together now?" he asked cautiously.

Bobby chewed his lip. "It's not that I don't want to be, because now that I stopped being completely blind I really want to be," he reassured and brushed his hand along Jean Paul's cheek. "But I don't think it would be fair to you to be with me when I might be dying. Once the ice spreads too far it will be too cold-"

Jean Paul cut him off, "Look where we are Robert. I am not wearing a jacket and have been leaning against your ice for several minutes now. I am resistant to cold."

Bobby blinked slowly. "Alright, so that's not an issue, but the first part still applies."

"You do not know that it does. Until you see Beast you can't know!"

Bobby ducked his head and thought. Jean Paul remained silent and played with the collar of Bobby's shirt.

After several moments Bobby raised his head again. "Come with me?" he asked and gave a small smile.

"Whatever you want, cher," Jean Paul replied wholeheartedly and kissed Bobby again. This kiss was significantly longer and with the beginnings of passion.

Eventually the two broke apart, Bobby replaced his shirt, and they walked back towards the mansion hand in hand. They kept silent, just relishing in each other's company.


End file.
